Gipe on the mark

We have to admit we're a bit confused by the city's quest for planning jurisdiction over Columbia Heights, particularly in light of Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. saying it won't sell the big chunk of land it owns on the east side of the river unless the plant shuts down for good.

We tend to agree with county commissioner Howard Gipe, who likened it to Kalispell absorbing Evergreen-we couldn't afford it.

In fact, it wasn't that long ago that the Heights water district approached the city for help, and the council members at that time told it, in not so many words, to buzz off.

We drive the streets of Columbia Falls on a daily basis. They're not in great shape, and a lot of them need work. We also need better and more bike paths inside our own city limits. We realize those issues are not directly related to planning jurisdiction, but they do illustrate a dysfunction in our community, which tends to look beyond its borders rather than addressing problems under its own nose.

We'd rather see city leadership focus its energies in the city limits rather than worry about the future of Columbia Heights. We have a tough time affording what we already have, never mind inheriting more headaches.